Process and apparatus for making large area concrete panels

ABSTRACT

A process of and apparatus are provided for mass producing large-area concret floor and wall slabs wherein liftable inner form panels for forming said slabs are mounted in upright positions on trolley cars, a pair of said movable panels being mounted on each car. A series of cars are moved on tracks to positions at a concreting station wherein the cars are laterally aligned and the pair of movable inner panels on each car is sandwiches between upright stationary outer form panels in a battery of forms provided at the concreting station. The forms are filled with concrete while they are held closed by hydraulic press means, and thereafter the trolley cars are moved on the tracks through a curing oven to an unloading station where the slabs are removed. The movable form panels are cleaned, and the trolley cars and form panels are returned to the concreting station to repeat the cycle. An overhead crane may be provided to lift the movable panels and separate them from the slabs before the trolley cars enter the curing oven.

June 12, 1973 T KQNCZ E TAL PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING LARGE-AREACONCRETE PANELS Filed March 10, 1971 m n@ NS M INVENToRs T/HAMER K UNCZMAX Z/M ERL/ ATTORNEYS June 12, 1973 -1-,KQNCZ ETAL PROCESS ANDAPPARATUS FOR MAKING LARGE-AREA CONCRETE PANELS Filed March 10. 1971 2Sheets-Sheet 2 NN Q NN S ZU S fu Y mmm ...m

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yM ,A mx w Wm@ United States Patent O 3,739,050 PROCESS AND APPARATUSFDR MAKING LARGE-AREA CONCRETE PANELS Tihamer Koncz, Witiponerstrasse297 Buchzelgstrasse, 8053 Zurich, Switzerland, and Max Zimmerli, Zurich,Switzerland; said Zimmerli assignor to said Koncz Filed Mar. 10, 1971,Ser. No. 122,841 Claims priority, application Switzerland, Mar. 13,1970, 3,760/70; Germany, Feb. 13, 1971, P 21 06 937.4, P 71 05 480.3

lint. Cl. B28b 5/00, 7/22, 7/26 U.S. Cl. 264-39 17 Claims ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE A process of and apparatus are provided for massproducing large-area concrete floor and wall slabs wherein liftableinner form panels for forming said slabs are mounted in uprightpositions on trolley cars, a pair of said movable panels being mountedon each car. A series of cars are moved on tracks to positions at aconcreting station wherein the cars are laterally aligned and the pairof movable inner panels on each car is sandwiched between uprightstationary outer form panels in a battery of forms provided at theconcreting station. The forms are filled with concrete While they areheld closed by hydraulic press means, and thereafter the trolley carsare moved on the tracks through a curing oven to an unloading stationwhere the slabs are removed. The movable form panels are cleaned, andthe trolley cars and form panels are returned to the concreting stationto repeat the cycle. An overhead crane may be provided to lift themovable panels and separate them from the slabs before the trolley carsenter the curing oven.

The present invention relates to a process and apparatus for economicalmass production of large-area concrete Wall and floor slabs.

Heretofore, attempts have been made to reduce the cost of producingresidential and commercial buildings by prefabrication methods and/or byusing concrete forms. However, the equipment for making concretebuildings has been expensive, the rate of production has been limited,and the building costs have remained relatively high. The problem wasmore difficult when making apartment buildings having Walls and floorsof many different sizes.

The present invention increases the rate of production without requiringunduly expensive equipment or a large number of personnel and reducesbuilding costs materially as compared to the methods used heretofore.This is achieved by a mass production process wherein liftable uprightpanels are mounted on a series of trolley cars which are moved onparallel tracks through a concreting station and a curing oven to anunloading station and then back to their original position for the nextcycle. Each trolley car supports two slabs, and a pair of the liftableform panels fit between the slabs and are adapted to be sandwichedbetween stationary form panels at the concreting station wherebyeight'or more slabs may be poured while a number of such form panels areclamped in closed position by a hydraulicpress. The apparatusfacilitates manufacture of wall and lloor slabs of many different sizes.In one embodiment of the invention the liftable form panels are removedand placed on empty circulating trolley cars before the slabs are curedin the oven. The upright slabs on each trolley car may be graduallymoved farther apart by diverging tracks as the cars move through theoven.

An object of the invention is to provide a continuous mass productionprocess for manufacturing concrete building slabs at minimum cost.

a Another object of the invention is to provide inexpensive equipmentfor economical production of wall and door slabs of different sizes.

These and other objects, uses and advantages of the invention willbecome apparent to those skilled in the art from the following drawings,descriptions and claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. l is a schematic side elevational view on a reduced scale showingan apparatus for producing concrete Wall and oor slabs or panels;

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the apparatus of FIG. l on the samescale, portions being shown in dotdash lines to illustrate use of twopanelizers with one return track; and

FIG. 3 is a foreshortened schematic plan view similar to FIG. 2 butshowing a modified form of the invention, the path of movement of thetrolley cars and liftable form panels being shown in dot-dash lines witharrows.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, in which like parts areidentified by the same numerals throughout the several views, FIGS. 1and 2 show a slab-forming apparatus constructed according to thisinvention having liftable or movable form panels 1 mounted in pairs on aseries of trolley cars 2, which move on various rails through aconcreting station 4 and a curing oven 16 to an unloading station fromwhich the finished concrete slabs 15 are lifted to a stack 20. The formpanels 1 are removed from the trolley cars 2 and separated from theslabs 15 at a disassembly station 17 wherein the form panels 1 arelifted and moved laterally above the slabs to empty cars 2 returning onrails 21 to the original installation site A. This apparatus, which isdescribed in more detail below, provides a simple economical way to massproduce large-area concrete wall and floor slabs of various sizes andthicknesses.

The trolley cars used to carry the form panels may be of fixed orvariable width. As herein shown, the cars 2 are of the variable-widthtype and are provided with a pair of laterally spaced horizontalsupporting bars 102 with a width suicient to support the slabs 15 inVertical positions and a spaced pair of inclined parallel connectinglinks 103 which are pivotally connected at their opposite ends to thebars 102 to hold them parallel at all times while permitting them tomove laterally relative to each other from a closely spaced position onthe rails 9 to a widely spaced position on the rails 9a. Each supportingbar 102 has a pair of wheels 104 which engage the rails to hold the barin a horizontal position in alignment with the other bar 102, wherebythe four Wheels 104 of each trolley car maintain the at upper surfacesof the two bars 102 in a horizontal plane.

A track system may be provided to facilitate circulation of the trolleycars having conventional parallel rails and,

if desired, means for transferring the cars from one set of rails toanother. As herein shown, four pairs of rails 9 are provided to carrythe trolley cars 2 through the concreting station 4, the disassemblystation 17, and the curing oven 16. The rails 9 are parallel until theyreach the discharge end of the station 4 and then diverge so that thetrack width gradually increases to the maximum beyond the discharge endat 9a. The parallel rails 121 and 21a, hereinafter described, have thesame maximum track width as the rails at 9a. The rails 21 leading backto station A and the transfer rails 31 of the carriage 3 preferably havethe same track width as the rails 9.

Suitable carriages may be provided for transferring the trolleys 2 fromthe rails 9a to the rails 21a and from the rails 21 to the rails 9. Asherein shown, rectangular platforms 3 and 18 are provided for thispurpose and are mounted to move laterally on rails 7 and 13,respectively, by supporting wheels 32 and 181. These platforms may be ofsimilar construction and support rails 31 and 121 parallel to the rails9 and 21. The length of each platform and the rails thereon may beslightly greater than the length of the trolleys 2. The transverse rails7 and 13, respectively, are located in rectangular depressions orchannels 71 and 131 so that the upper surfaces of the rails 31 and 121are in the Same horizontal plane as those of the rails 9, 9a, 21 and21a.

Each concrete wall or oor panel or slab is made by pouring concrete atstation 4 into the mold cavity formed between one of the liftable formpanels 1 and one of the fixed-location form panels 8 provided at saidstation. The panels 1 and 8 may be heated prior to and during suchpouring. Two form panels 1 are releasably mounted in fixed positions`oneach trolley car 2 with their outer vertical mold surfaces facingoutwardly and accessible for cleaning and for subsequent coating with asuitable mold lubricant, parting compound or separation medium. Saidouter mold surfaces, which engage and shape the concrete, are preferablyat or substantially flat.

In the apparatus shown herein, the circulating form panels 1 eachconsist of a supporting framework covered at both sides with flat sheetmetal panels and having lifting devices 42 at their opposite ends. Theymay also be provided with lateral disconnecting devices. They are notprovided with shakers or vibrators as are provided with the form panels8, but they may be heated to an elevated temperature, such as 120 to 180F., by electric resistance heaters or by heating tubes containing a hotuid, such as steam or hot oil, so as to start heating the concrete assoon as it is poured.

A pair of movable form panels 1 is mounted on each trolley car 2 withthe flat concrete-engaging mold surfaces thereof in vertical positions.At the installation site A, such mold surfaces are freely accessible andare cleaned thoroughly, for example, with a wire brush and a spray ofwater. After said surfaces are cleaned, then they are covered with asuitable parting compound or lubricant in the conventional manner.

At the site A there are applied to the form panels 1 all inserts whichare required, such as wire rods or wire mesh reinforcement, metalbraces, hooks or lifting devices, or means for forming holes for liftingor bracing during construction, frames for arches, doors or windows orother openings, wood mounting blocks, electrical conduit, heating pipesor ducts, exhaust ducts or the like. For example, there may be mountedon a form panel 1 a hollow internally-threaded piece of metal or plasticwhich is adapted to receive a large screw or bolt, such as 1/z-inch or2Mr-inch bolt for lifting or mounting of the finished concrete panel.When the form panels 1 are constructed to form concrete Wall panels, itis preferable to place conventional door or window frames which extendthe full distance between the concrete-engaging mold surfaces of saidform panels (i.e., a distance corresponding to the full thickness of theconcrete slab) and thereby prevent tiow of concrete into the QQQ? Q?WillQW OPSIIIIE- EaCh concrete wall slab or panel may have one or twowindow openings and/or a door opening. If desired, a complete wood ormetal window with glass in place may be mounted on each form panel 1.The same is true of the doors, but it is preferable to place only thedoor frame on the form panel 1. Where the window frame only is placed onthe panel 1, the glazing can be done at a later time at the constructionsite. When wooden windows are employed, it is sometimes desirable tomount wooden blocks on the form panel 1 at the margin of the windowopening so that the wooden window frame can be subsequently nailed tosuch blocks at the construction site.

After all of the door or window frames, reinforcements andconstructional or electrical parts have been manually attached to orinstalled on the form panels 1 at the installation site A, the trolleycar 2, together with the pair of form panels 1 thereon, is pushed fromrails 21 to the rails 31 of the platform 3 (see FIG. 2), and theplatform is pushed laterally in the direction of the arrow B. When therails 31 are aligned with a pair of rails 9, the trolley car 2 is movedolf of the platform 3 in the direction of the arrow C to a waiting placenear the entrance side of the concreting station 4 as shown in FIG. 2.In the particular apparatus shown herein, the movements of the trolleycars 2 and the platform 3 are effected manually. In the production linethe operations are repeated until four cars 2 are in the aforesaidwaiting place on rails 9. At this place any further equipping orpreparatory work can be preformed at each car 2 before it is moved tostation 4.

Suitable platforms, trestles or scaifolds may be provided for theworkers at said waiting place and/or the installation site A to enablethem to carry out the installation work eliiciently.

After the preparatory work at the waiting place is completed, the fourpairs of form panels 1 are ready to be moved on the four cars 2 to thenoncreting station 4, which is provided with battery of livefixed-location form panels 8. The panels 8 are suspended from lixedlateral overhead beams 6 with their flat concrete-engaging mold surfacesin vertical positions parallel to and spaced laterally from the atconcrete-engaging mold surfaces of the form panels 1 and parallel to theunderyling rails 9. Each of the beams 6 is provided with a series ofsuspending devices, such as the devices 51 hereinafter described, forsupporting the ve panels 8 and the four pairs of panels 1 injuxtaposition in a mold battery with the margins of their vertical moldsurfaces in proper horizontal alignment. The form panels 1 are providedwith handles or lifting devices 42 at their opposite ends to be caughtby said suspending devices of the beams 6 when a pair of form panels 1is properly positioned on its car 2 between two of the form panels 8.After the four pairs of form panels 1 on the four cars 2 are sopositioned at station A and are caught by said suspending devices, thetwo horizontal beams 6 are raised somewhat by a suitable lifting meanssuch as a screw lift or jack means or a conventional hydraulic liftingunit so that all of said form panels 1 and the trolley cars 2 attachedthereto are lifted above the rails 9y as shown in lFIG. 1 along with thepanels 8.

The suspending devices of the beam 6 may be guided parallel to the beamby rollers or other conventional antifriction guide means so that boththe movable form panels 1 and the so-called fixed-location form panels 8can be pushed a short distance laterally in the direction of the arrow Bor E to adjust the distance between the panels 1 and 8 or to open andclose the eight mold cavities formed between said panels. In this way,the desired intermediate space can be obtained for the concrete panels1S that are to be cast in said mold cavities. In the apparatus shownherein, the station 4 permits casting of slabs with thicknesses whichvary substantially, for example, from 3 inches to l() inches (moreusually 4 inches to 8 inches).

It will be understood, of course, that the expression fixed location asapplied to the form panels 8 is not intended to rule out or exclude suchsmall lateral movements of said form panels at the station 4.

The form panels 1 may be provided with lateral spacers to determine thewidth of each rectangular mold cavity formed by the panels 1 and 8` andthe thickness of the concrete slab or panel 15, which may be `3 to 6inches for wall panels and 4 to 8 inches for -floor slabs. Such lateralspacers may be inserted between each form panel 1 and the adjacent formpanel 8 after the panels 1 and 8 at station 4 are lifted by the beams 6to the position shown in FIG. 1 and before the entire battery of formsis pressed together to close the mold cavities.

Suitable press means may be provided to move the form panels laterallyto the closed position and to hold them closed until the concrete hasbeen poured. As herein shown, a pair of conventional hydraulic presses10 are provided for this purpose and are rigidly supported at one end byupstanding brackets 11 which are firmly anchored in the ground. Thepresses 10 apply a high force to the outer form panels 8 of the batteryat station 4 to press the form panels 1 and 8 together and thereby closethe four mold cavities. An equal and opposite reaction force is appliedto the fixed brackets 11, and the mold cavities are maintained closed bythe presses during pouring of the concrete and until the concrete slabs15 have adequate strength to permit opening of the molds.

The battery of form panels at station 4 are moved outwardly to open themold cavities either manually or mechanically. Opening is preferablyeffected in a positive manner by suitable motor means, such as thehydraulic presses 10, acting through cables, chains, rods or the like,interconnecting the form panels to ensure that all form parts becomeagain separated from one another and return to their original openpositions.

A concrete pouring machine i12 is mounted on the beams 6 and arrangedlike a crane to move longitudinally and transversely above the formpanels 1 and 8 and to discharge fresh concrete from the concrete filledtrough or funnel into each of the mold cavities while they are heldclosed by the presses 10. As herein shown, a pair of horizontal rails 61are provided to support the wheels 112 of the machine 12 and to guidethe machine 12 longitudinally in the direction of the arrow C so that itcan be moved from one end of the underlying mold cavity to the other. Asin a conventional crane, the pair of rails 61 extend between the beamsf6 and are movably supported on the beams by wheels or the like to movelaterally parallel to the beams in the direction of arrow B or E so thatthe machine 12 can be moved from one mold cavity to another.

In carrying out the process of this invention, a conventional concretemay be employed containing water, sand, portland cement or the like, andother conventional ingredients. Most conventional types of concrete aresuitable including those which set up rapidly, such as the so-calledhigh early concrete which sets up in 3 days at normal temperatures. Itis usually preferable to employ a more common and less expensiveconcrete such as Type 1 concrete or the like which requires about 7 daysto set up at normal temperatures. When using such Type 1 concrete, it ispreferably to introduce heated concrete from the machine 12 into themold cavities at station 4 (for example, at a temperature of 100 to 150F.) and to heat both the form panels 1 and the form panels 8. Theheating means for the panels 8 may be the same as that previouslydescribed for the panels 1 and preferably heats the form panels 8 to anelevated temperature, such as 120 to 180 F. By heating the concrete atstation 4, the setting time is greatly shortened.

After each of the concrete slabs 15 at station 4 has hardened to theextent that it has enough strength to be self-supporting and will nolonger collapse under its own weight (for example, approximately percentof its final strength), the battery of the molds may be the four cars 2becomes set on the rails 9 and can be pushed to the disassembly stationL17, which is located between the concreting station 4 and the curingoven- 16.

Suitable means, such as a crane or a block-and-pulley tackle, may beprovided at station 17 to lift the form panels 1 on each car 2vertically between the two concrete slabs 1'5 which are carried by thesupporting bars 102 and 103 0f that car. As herein shown, a pair ofconventional cranes 14 are provided for this purpose and are mounted bysuitable wheels on a pair of fixed lateral horizontal rails I141. Thecranes are attached to an I- beam 26 and support the beam in ahorizontal position as they raise and lower the beam and as the beam ismoved laterally in the direction of the arrow E.

lGrappling means 5 or the like are provided at opposite ends of the beam26 for engaging the lifting devices 42 of the form panels 1 and fordetachably connecting the panels to the beam so that they may be liftedabove the slabs 15 to the position shown in FIG. 1 and then movedlaterally with the beam in the direction of arrow E to a position abovethe rails 21. The empty form panels l'may then be lowered with the beam26 by the cranes 14 to set the empty panels on an empty car 2 waitingthere for them. The grappling means 5 are then released, the beam isreturned to the elevated position by the cranes and moved laterally backto a position for removing another pair of form panels 1 at station 17.

After the pair of associated form panels l1 are removed at station 17,the pair of exposed concrete slabs 15 are now moved on the associatedtrolley car 2 into a hot tunnel or curing oven 16 and kept there untilthey have acquired the desired strength (for example, percent or more ofthe final strength). As shown, the oven has enclosing walls 161 with anopening 162 at each end which may be closed by doors. Whereas the timefor setting up at station 4 may be relatively short (for example, 10 to30 minutes), substantially more time is required in oven 16. Forexample, with an oven temperature of F. and a slab thickness of 4inches, the slabs 15 may be kept in oven '16 for about 90 minutes toobtain adequate strength, assuming that conventional Type 1 concrete isused. A somewhat greater heating time may be required if the thickness0f the slabs is increased substantially.

The rails 9 are preferably parallel as they run through the concretingstations 4 and may remain parallel through disassembly station 17 andthe oven 16. However, as herein shown, each pair of rails is installedso that the track width gradually increases froml the exit end ofstation 4 to the end of the track near the transverse rails 13 so thatthe wheels 104 at one side of each trolley car 2 and the associatedsupporting bars 102 are forced farther and farther away from the wheelson the opposite side of that car as the car is advanced. The links 4103permit such separation of the two supporting bars 102 by pivoting attheir opposite ends to permit one bar 102 to move a short distance aheadof the other as shown at the discharge end of oven 16, where the rails9a are widely spaced. The wide spacing of the vertical slabs 15 achievedby widening of the tracks makes it possible to inspect the inside facesof the concrete panels. Separation of the rails at station 17 is alsoadvantageous in facilitating removal of the form panels 1.

After the trolley cars 2 leave the oven 16 and arrive at the end of therails 9a, they are moved one at a time onto the rails 121 of theplatform '18 so that the finished concrete slabs or panels 15 may bemoved with the platform in the direction of the arrow F for subsequentremoval. The platform is moved laterally to a position as shown in FIG.2 with its widely spaced rails 121 in alignment with the Widely spacedrails 21a, and the trolley car is rolled olf the platform and down therails 21a to a suitable unloading station 30 where the concreteI slabsmay be removed. The empty car 2 is then returned on tracks 21a and 1211to the return track at 21 which carries the car back to station A afterit takes on a pair of empty form panels 1 returning from station 17.

A conventional crane or hoist may be employed to remove the concreteslabs from the trolley cars and deliver them to one or more stacks 20for storage or to a pallet for removal by a lift truck to a suitablestorage area or to a construction site. For example, one or more cranes19 may be provided for raising and lowering a horizontal beam 24 havinghooks or grappling means 124, which may be attached to the opposite endportions of the beam 24 to suspend it in a horizontal position as it israised and lowered by the crane.

The crane is guided longitudinally, parallel to the rails 21a, on railsor beams 119 which extend over a pair of parallel lateral horizontalrails 22 supported by posts 122. The opposite ends of the rails 119 aresupported on the rails 22 in a conventional manner by wheels or the likeso that the pair of rails 119 and the crane thereon can be movedlaterally from a loading position over a trolley car on rails 21a to anunloading position at a stack 20. The construction of the crane and thesupporting tracks is conventional and forms no part of the invention.The other cranes shown herein may also be of conventional construction.

In the species of FIGS. 1 and 2, the trolley cars 2 and form panels x1are continually circulating during mass production of the concrete slabsor panels 15, the form panels 1 being removed at station 17 so that theydo not pass through the oven 16.

FIG. 3 illustrates a simplified form of the invention, which is the sameas the form of FIGS. 1 and 2, except that the disassembly station 17 andthe crane l14 and related parts are omitted and replaced with a crane 23and associated means for lifting the form panels and returning themabove the concreting station 4 to empty waiting cars 2. In this speciesthe circulating path of the trolley cars 2 on rails 9, 9a, 121, 21a, Z1and 31 remains the same as in the species of FIG. 1.

The crane 23 may be of any conventional type and is mounted to move on apair of parallel horizontal rails 33 so that the form panels 1 may belifted off a trolley car 2 at the discharge end of the oven 16 andreturned to an empty car 2 by moving it above the oven and theconcreting station along the path shown in dot-dash lines in FIG. 3. Asherein shown, the crane comprises a platform 123 with wheels guiding iton the rails 33, a pair of hoists 28 with hooks or grappling members 128attached to a longitudinal beam 29, and grappling members or hooks 129on the beam for catching the lifting devices 42 of the form panels.

As indicated in FIG. 2, the lateral rails 22 may extend a substantialdistance on each side of the track at 21a so that it is possible tolocate several stacks 20 on both sides of the track. It will also beunderstood that the transverse rails 7 and 13 of the species of FIG. 3or the rails 7, 13 and 141 of the species of FIG. 1 may extend equaldistances on both sides of the tracks at 21 in the event the rails 9 and9a, the stations 4 and 17, and the curing oven 16 of the panelizer areduplicated to permit formation of concrete slabs on both sides of track21. Such duplication, indicated schematically by dot-dash lines in FIG.2, makes it possible for one return track 21 and one installation site Ato serve two manufacturing units or panelizers simultaneously where itis desired to conserve space. One platform 3, one platform 18, and onecrane assembly 14 would also be sufficient for both of saidmanufacturing units or panelizers.

Such a variant with two panelizers and one return track 21 is desirablewhen the apparatus is positioned near a construction site and arrangedto form concrete wall panels at the same time as floor slabs are beingformed. For example, one manufacturing unit or panelizer could beadjusted to make concrete floor slabs with sizes up to 24 by 12' andthicknesses up to 6 or 8 inches while the other panelizer is adjusted tomake concrete wall panels with sizes up to 29 X 84 and thicknesses of 3or 4 inches.

The apparatus at the concreting station 4 as disclosed herein isparticularly advantageous because it may easily be adjusted to changethe size and thickness of the panels in accordance with thearchitectural plan of the building under construction. The hydraulicpresses 10 readily accommodate changes in slab thickness (for example,from 2 inches to l() inches) and changes in the overall size of the formpanels and also make it possible to mold different size slabssimultaneously at the station 4.

The process and apparatus of `this invention makes it possible toproduce large-area concrete slabs or panels of many square meters areaeconomically and with but small personnel and with comparativelyinexpensive equipment. In comparison with the production capacity, thenumber of form panels needed is small. Moreover, relatively expensiveparts of the apparatus, such as hydraulic presses, vibrators,concrete-pouring machines and so forth are needed only singly and not innumbers. Furthermore, mass production by substantially continuousoperation is possible with an overall time for each cycle which isrelatively low, such as 2.5 to 4 hours for an ordinary 7- day concrete,such as Type l concrete. The waiting time for hardening of the concreteis greatly reduced.

It will be understood that variations and modification of the specificdevices and methods disclosed herein may be made without departing fromthe spirit of the invention.

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. A process for mass producing large-area concrete floor or wall slabs(15) comprising mounting a large number of trolley cars (2) on a seriesof supporting tracks (9), which extend through a concreting station (4)and a curing oven (16), and on a return track (21) leading to aninstallation site (A), mounting pairs of movable forms 1) on emptytrolley cars (2) and moving them on the return track (21), to saidinstallation site, one pair being mounted on each car and having exposedvertical concrete-engaging mold surfaces facing outwardly at each sideof the car, thereafter moving the forms (1) and associated cars (2) tothe supporting tracks (9) at the inlet side of said concreting station(4), said station having a mold battery comprising at least 4fixed-location forms (8) with vertical outer concrete-engaging moldsurfaces, the mold surfaces of each pair of adjacent forms (8) facingeach other and being spaced apart and located to receive a pair of saidmovable forms (1) when the associated trolley car (2) is moved on one ofthe supporting tracks (9) to the concreting station (4), moving a seriesof pairs of said movable forms (1) on their associated cars (2) to saidconcreting station and placing them in juxtaposition with thefixed-location forms (8) in the mold battery so that the vertical moldsurface of each movable form (1) faces the vertical mold surfaces of afixed-location form (8) and is spaced therefrom to define a mold cavityfor forming one of said slabs (1S), thereby forming a series of moldcavities, thereafter moving the forms (1 and 8) together and applyinglateral pressure thereto by a pressing means (10) to close the moldcavities, pouring a concrete mix into each of the closed mold cavitiesto fill the same while heating the forms, allowing the concrete to setfor a period of time suicient to render the resulting slabs (15)self-supporting, removing the lateral pressure and separating thefixed-location forms (8) from the slabs, thereafter moving the slabs(15) with the movable forms (l) on the trolley cars (2) out of theconcreting station, two slabs being supported on each car, continuingmovement of said cars on the supporting rails (9) with the slabs (15)through a curing oven, heating the concrete in said oven for a period oftime sutcient to harden and strengthen the same, thereafter moving theslabs (15) on the trolley cars (2) to an unloading zone (30), liftingthe hardened slabs (15) from the cars, thereafter returning the emptycars (2) on the return track (21) toward the installation site for asubsequent cycle, each of said movable forms (1) being separated fromthe associated slabs 15), lifted olf the associated trolley car afterthe car leaves said concreting station and before it reaches saidunloading zone and thereafter being mounted on an empty trolley car andcleaned before the cycle is repeated to form more of said slabs 15).

2. A process as defined in claim 1 wherein each pair of movable forms(1) is lifted off the associated trolley car (2) before the car and theslabs (15) thereon enter the curing oven (16) and is moved to a positionabove said return track (21) and lowered onto a returning empty car (2)on said track.

3. A process as defined in claim 2 wherein the two slabs (15) on eachtrolley car (2) are gradually moved farther apart as the car is movedthrough the curing oven (16).

4. A process as deined in claim 1 wherein each pair of movable forms (1)is lifted off the associated trolley car (2) after it leaves said curingoven (16) and is moved to a position above an empty car (2) and loweredonto said car before the car reaches the concreting station (4) in a.subsequent cycle.

5. A process as defined in claim 1 wherein at least 8 slabs are formedat said concreting station at one time and wherein said oven will holdat least 16 slabs supported on at least 8 trolley cars.

6. A process as defined in claim 1 wherein the oven (16) is heated to atemperature of 150 to 200 1:".

7. A process as defined in claim 6 wherein the slabs (15) are heated for10 to 30 minutes at said concreting station (4) and are heated 1 to 4hours in said oven (16).

8. A process as defined in claim 1 wherein at least four pairs of saidmovable forms (1) and at least five tixedlocation forms (8) are providedat said concreting station to effect simultaneous molding of at leasteight slabs (15) l at said station.

9. A process as defined in claim 8 wherein lthe movable forms 1), theassociated trolley cars (2) and the xedlocation forms (8) are lifted inunison at said concreting station (4).

10. A process as defined in claim 9 wherein the movable forms (1) andthe fixed-location forms (8) are suspended on lateral beams (6) and aremovable laterally on said beams.

11. A process as defined in claim 10 wherein hydraulic pressure isapplied by said pressing means (10) to the outer forms (8) at oppositesides of the mold battery.

12. Apparatus for mass producing large-area concrete oor or wall slabscomprising a large number of trolley cars (2) mounted to circulate on aseries of horizontal supporting tracks (9), which extend through aconcreting station (4) and a curing oven (6), and on a return track (21)leading away from an unloading zone (30) to an installation site (A), alarge number of pairs of movable forms (1) adapted to be detachablymounted on said trolley cars (2), each of said pairs having exposedvertical concrete-engaging mold surfaces facing outwardly at each sideof the trolley car, means (3) for moving the trolley cars from theinstallation site to the supporting tracks (9) at the inlet side of saidconcreting station (4), said station having a mold battery comprising atleast 4 fixed-location forms v(8) with vertical concrete-engaging moldsurfaces, the mold surfaces of each pair of 'ad-jacent forms (8) facingeach other and being spaced apart and located to receive a pair of saidmovable forms (1) when the associated trolley car (2) is moved on one ofthe supporting tracks (9) to the concreting station (4), whereby aseries of pairs of said movable forms (1) mounted on said trolley cars(2) may be placed in juxtaposition with the fixed-location forms (8) inthe mold battery so that the vertical mold surfaces of each movable form(1) faces the vertical mold surface of a fixed-location form (8) and isspaced therefrom to define a mold cavity for forming a slab (15), saidmold battery thereby forming a series of pairs of mold cavities, pressmeans (10) for moving the forms (1 and 8) t0- gether and applyinglateral pressure thereto to close the mold cavities, means (12) mountedfor longitudinal and transverse movement above the forms for pouring aconcrete mix into each of the closed mold cavities to fill the same,means for heating the slabs in the oven (16) t0 harden and strengthenthem, hoisting means (14 or 23) mounted for longitudinal and lateralmovement for lifting each pair of said movable forms (1) from theassociated trolley car (2) on the supporting rails (9 or 9a) after thecar leaves said concreting station and before it reaches said unloadingzone and for moving said pair to a position above a returning empty car(2) where it may be lowered onto the car, means (18, 21a) for moving theslabs (15) on the trolley cars (2) to said unloading zone, hoistingmeans (19) mounted for movement longitudinally and transversely forlifting the hardened concrete slabs (15) from the cars at said Zone, andtrack means (21a, 121) for returning the empty cars to said return trackfor a subsequent cycle.

13. Apparatus as dened in claim 12 wherein said firstnamed hoistingmeans comprises crane means (14) mounted on overhead lateral rails (141)to move from a disassembly station (17), which is located between saidconcreting station (4) and said oven (16), to a position above thereturn track (21).

14. Apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein said iirstnamed hoistingmeans comprises crane means (23) mounted on overhead rails (33) to movefrom a position above the supporting rails (9a) near the discharge endof the oven (16) to a position above empty cars (2) returning to theconcreting station (4).

15. Apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein each trolley car is dividedinto two parts (102) in their lengthwise direction, the two parts beingconnected together by pivoted links (103), and wherein the track widthis gradually increased in a direction toward the discharge end of theoven to increase the distance between the slabs (15) as they move inthat direction.

16. Apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein the return track (21) islaterally spaced from the supporting tracks (9) and carriage means areprovided for moving the trolley cars transversely from one track to theother comprising a movable platform (3 or 18) having tracks (31 or 121)for supporting the wheels of the trolley cars which may be moved intoalignment with the return track or one of the supporting tracks.

17. Apparatus for mass producing large-area concrete oor or wall slabs(15) comprising a plurality of trolley cars (2) mounted to circulate ina travelling direction through a concreting station (4) and on a returntrack (21) leading away from an unloading zone (30) to an installationsite (A), a plurality of movable forms (1) adapted to be detachablymounted on said trolley cars (2), each of said forms having exposedvertical concreteengaging mold surfaces means (3) for moving the trolleycars from the installation site to said concreting station (4), saidstation having a mold battery comprising a plurality of fixed-locationforms (8) with vertical concreteengaging mold surfaces, the moldsurfaces of adjacent forms (8) facing each other and being spaced apartand located to receive a pair of said movable forms 1) when theassociated trolley car (2) is moved to the concreting station (4),whereby movable forms (1) mounted on said trolley cars (2) may be placedin juxtaposition with the fixed-location forms (8) in the mold batteryso that the vertical mold surfaces of each movable form 1) faces theVertical mold surface of a fixed-location form (8) and is spacedtherefrom to define a mold cavity for forming a slab (15), said moldbattery thereby forming mold cavities, means for moving at least some ofsaid fixed-location forms in a right angled direction relative to thetravelling direction of said trolley cars, press means (10) for movingthe forms (1 and 8) together and applying lateral pressure thereto closethe mol dcavities, means (12) for pouring a concrete mix into each ofthe closed mold cavities to ll the same, means for separating saidmovable forms (1) from said slabs (15), means for moving the slabs onthe trolley cars (2) to an unloading zone, and track means (21a, 121)for returning the empty cars t0 said return track for a subsequentcycle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/ 1927 Hanley 425-88 12/1953 VanLoon 264-297 U.S. Cl. X.R.

264-297, 336, DIG. 43; 425-88

